Bemis & Call B&M.R.R Wrench

[NateHiggins]

So I've got this B&C wrench, and I'm having trouble dating it. Its suprisingly hard to find information on B&C, regarding production dates or even catalogues that depict their wrenches. The only markings on there besides the obvious logos and "Made in Springfield, Mass" are the numbers 5, 11, and a Y stamp above that.
I have another B&C wrench that has similar markings, and I'm pretty sure was sent over to england as wartime aid. Its got the numbers 5, 42, ("May, 1942?) along with Crows feet markings that I understand mark it as British surplus equipment. Those two together make it seem like it was made in May 1942, which would make sense for something produced as lend lease equipment.
Thing is, following that logic my wrench here would have been made May, 1911, though I'm not sure if B&C was even making this kind of wrench at the time. Any help or insight would be appreciated!

 

[NateHiggins]

Here's my other B&C Wrench, which I believe to be wartime surplus.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Bemis & Call was a very early mfgr. So early they actually bought out Coes in the 20's and I think B&C was itself bought out by Billings & Spencer well before WWII. That is to say, I don't think they were their own entity making their own tools and marking them with their own logo during WWII. To add to that, that "B.&M.R.R." marking on your wrench is Boston & Maine Railroad. While FDR and his cabinet went to great unprecedented (and in many ways controversial) lengths to aid the Allies before we actually declared war, to include Lend-Lease, I have no knowledge of that including the rounding up (voluntary or involuntary) of tools from industry (e.g., B.&M.R.R.), casting doubt on that large "crowfoot" marking. I could be wrong.

Having said that, it does admittedly kinda sorta resemble a British Ministry of Defence broad arrow marking. As do the markings on your other B&C wrench. That was not a surplus marking, though. It was a martial proprietary marking. It was used in the 1950's as well, however, so it doesn't always indicate WWII. It is an indicator of British military tools that were either 'appropriated' (i.e., lost or stolen) or officially surplused. While I have a fair share of tools with British MOD broad arrow markings, they are all British made, and I am not aware of them stamping US Lend-Lease tools as a routine practice. Anything is possible, and often is with old tools, so take everything I say with that caveat.

 

[bob15]

Actually, Billings bought out the Bemis & Call wrench line in 1939. Prior to that, Bermis had bought out Coes Monkey Wrench Co.

https://lostnewengland.com/2017/12/bemis-call-tool-factory-springfield-mass/

https://www.davistownmuseum.org/bioBemis.html

https://mathesontools.weebly.com/blog/category/bemis-call

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Actually, Billings bought out the Bemis & Call wrench line in 1939. Prior to that, Bermis had bought out Coes Monkey Wrench Co.

Didn't I say that? Or I guess you're qualifying my use of "well before". Fair enough. "Just before" WWII. Thanks for that, Bob. My point was the unlikelihood of monkey wrenches with the B&C logo shipped to England for Lend-Lease. Thoughts?

 

[bob15]

Didn't I say that? Or I guess you're qualifying my use of "well before". Fair enough. "Just before" WWII. Thanks for that, Bob. My point was the unlikelihood of monkey wrenches with the B&C logo shipped to England for Lend-Lease. Thoughts?

No, I just read your sentence as Bemis buying B&S out. Maybe I need new cheaters for the eyes.......

 

[Private Lugnutz]

No prob, Bob.